Way Back Then
by Tanokai
Summary: An assasin is rumoured to have been sent after Yusuke, btu he decides to get them, before they get him. so, he goes to Demon world, but things never go as planned. At least no for this assasin. (AN: I got this idea from a dream I had, so don't kill me ple


**Way Back Then**

**By: Tanokai**

"What's the big idea, Koenma? Assassins are sent at me all of the time. Why should I worry about this one?" Yusuke asked, a bit annoyed.  
"Because, Yusuke, Botan informed me that my father is becoming desperate. This new assassin was taken from Demon World."  
"Demon World? Then I shouldn't have to worry. Only demons lower than D-class can get through the barrier."  
"In most cases, but my father has the power to allow anyone through the Kekai Barrier he wants, if they are willing."  
Yusuke seemed a bit worried now. "So who's he going to send after me?"  
"I'm not sure exactly; Botan could only get so much information."  
"What do you know?"  
"Whoever it is, they are between an A and S-class of demonic power, and they have an intense hatred toward Spirit Detectives."  
"Doesn't every demon?"  
"Not like this one. They lost their family to an attack dealt by Sensui."   
"Great. So, what am I supposed to do?"  
"Go to Demon World."  
"What!?"  
"The Trials of Strength and Endurance are coming up. Apparently, this demon wished to participate before assassinating you."  
"Great. Why would I want to go?"  
"Enter the Trials and discover who you're assassin is, and strike before they do. You will appear demonic, so don't worry about that."  
"What exactly is this trial?"  
"It's a competition of sorts that will allow Demon World to see who their strongest demons are. A battle for pride basically. There is also a larger word."  
"I see."  
"It starts with a battle round to eliminate half of the contestants. It then moves to a three-day free-for-all. This part of the Trial allows the demons to live in a fixed area and do as they please for three days. Form alliances, kill opponents, poison, make weapons, prepare, whatever. It then goes on to a 3,000 mile trek to the final location, which they have a fixed time to reach. They can go however they please, and kill as many opponents or such as they wish. It ends with an immediate tournament involving the final participants."  
"When is it?"  
"One week from now. Hiei will be in it as well, and I suppose Kurama will also enter."  
"Why Kurama?"  
"His mother is ill again. He plans to use the gold reward to pay for his mother's operation."  
"I see."

Six Days Later

Kurama and Yusuke had both made the trek to Demon World together, and they were now headed to where all of the competitors of the Trials of Strength and Endurance were.  
"Wow," Yusuke said as he looked at all of the demons that were there. "There's a lot of demons here."  
As he said this, he looked to Kurama, who didn't look like the red-haired friend he was used to seeing. Kurama held the appearance of his silver-haired demonic side. Yusuke didn't look like himself either. He had black markings on his skin as well as long black hair that, strangely, had white streaks in it.  
"Of course. Every demon in Demon World knows of this Trial, and all of the higher-class demons have entered for the title of being the best. Middle-class demons have either entered for the title or the money."  
"So, most of the demons here are A and S-class?"  
"Yes, so be careful Yusuke, you're only considered a low to middle A-class."  
"Really, that's all? And that assassin after me is an S-class," Yusuke smiled. "This should be fun."

The Start of the Trials

"Alright. You have all been split into 4 groups of about 75 people. You will fight in a specified area against the rest of the people in your group. You will have two hours nonstop to fight. You get no water or food until those two hours end. Those alive, and those who have not left their designated area, will proceed to the camp where you will be provided drinks and a feast! Alright, let the fights begin!"  
Yusuke looked around at his group. Hiei wasn't in it, and neither was Kurama, but the assassin could still be in his group, but as Yusuke looked around he began to doubt it. The groups were randomly chosen, but he had a lot of weak demons paired with him.

Two Hours Later

Yusuke took a deep breath after the lady, who announced the rules of the fight earlier, announced that the fight was over. There were nine other fighters alive in his group. He looked at the other groups and saw that Hiei's group was left with five, not counting Hiei. There was twelve in Kurama's group, and the other group was left with five total.  
Everyone was relieved at dinner that night. Yusuke found it strange, though, that some people were outside making their own dinners. As he passed one of these such demons, a woman with short black hair and a blue headband tied around her forehead, which matched her eyes. She was about four feet or so tall. Her eyes remained upon the food she was cooking as she said, "I wouldn't eat the food if I were you."  
"Hm? Why is that?"  
"Here's your first lesson in the Trials, sir: Don't trust anyone. The veterans in this Trial know better. The food could easily be poisoned. Cook your own food, and it's less likely to kill you."  
Yusuke looked around and saw that Hiei and Kurama were getting their own food as well.  
"Thanks."

The Next Day

Yusuke was woken by a scream. He was quick to leave his small tent. A few tents away there was a dead demon; the murderer wasn't anywhere to be found.  
Later that day, Yusuke was walking around and noticed a tent set up far from the rest of them. Outside cooking a breakfast was the lady. Yusuke made his way over to her.  
"Yes?" the lady asked, not looking up.  
"Just thought I'd thank you for the warning last night. Fourteen of the competitors died last night from poison."  
"You're welcome." She looked up at Yusuke and smiled.  
Yusuke's eyes widened. Her left eye. The pupil was blood red...

She seemed to understand Yusuke's reaction. So, she looked to her food and stirred it a bit.

Yusuke suddenly felt bad about his reaction. He decided to start another topic. "so, um. Why did you warn me yesterday?"

She smiled, keeping her eyes down upon her food. "Has that been bothering you?"

"Yeah, kind of."

"You remind me of someone I once knew. It would have been a shame to see you die like that."

By the time the long distance journey of the trials began, there was only 16 competitors left.

The rules had been announced the previous day. Everyone would set off at their own time. The only thing that was required was that they go to the designated spot on a mad that they all received. They had to get there within a week. As there were fewer demons then normal the trial had been shortened. It was now 1,000 miles. By the time that Yusuke started to leave, half of the demons were gone. Everyone Yusuke knew was gone.

At first the journey was uneventful. A few demons tried to attack him, but he just knocked them out and continued on his way.

On the final day, Yusuke was nearly there. He had a few miles left and that was it. He heard someone behind him. As he walked on he concentrated more on what was behind him. He didn't expect an attack from the front. He got hit square in the face. He flew back a few feet and hit the ground pretty hard. He rubbed his jaw and was about to get up when he felt cold metal upon his neck. He, very cautiously, looked down the blade of the sword. There was a woman about four feet tall holding it. It was her! Yusuke's eyes widened. Her eyes were blood red, just as the pupil of her left eye.

"You…why?"

"I told you, didn't I? Don't trust anyone."

"I thought I…"

"You do remind me of someone I knew. I wasn't lying, but I never said I liked the person. All I said was that you reminded me of someone I knew and that it would have been a shame if you died of food poison. I would rather kill you myself."

"Why?"

"You are former Spirit Detective Yusuke Urameshi. You remind me of your predecessor, Shinobu Sensui. The man who took the life of my son, as well as bound me in this damned world."

"Who are you?" Yusuke seemed to be stalling.

"Tanokai Jagenashi."

_Jagenashi!_ Yusuke thought as his eyes widened.

"Yes. I'm the wife of your friend, Hiei. That's why he's here, did you not know? He heard I was the assassin sent after you. He thought I was dead and so went searching for me. I explained to him what I had planned and he agreed to stay out of it."

Suddenly, Tanokai turned swinging her sword out as well. It made contact with Yusuke's arm! He had used his speed to evade her blade in it's initial position and ran around her to attack. He had seem her blade coming and evaded it for the most part, but it still put a deep wound in his left arm.

"Dammit!" Yusuke swore under his breath. "How did you know I was coming around you?"

"I saw you. I'm pretty good myself, or didn't you notice?"

Yusuke's eyes widened. He didn't notice. She was a lot stronger then he gave her credit for. She was at least an A-class, but Yusuke knew that she was stronger then that. He knew she was an S-class. He just didn't want to admit it to himself.

The fight commenced

Sometime later Yusuke caught her off guard and shot his Spirit gun at her, throwing her back into a tree. She went through two trees before she hit one and slid down the trunk. She didn't move. Yusuke walked toward her. She slowly looked up at him. She was beaten up pretty badly. She was also breathing pretty heavily.

"Why were you holding back?"

"I wasn't," she said quietly as she let her head bow down, to tired to keep it up.

"Yes you did! I felt your power before the fight, but you didn't use it to it's highest point! Why!?"

"I fought as hard as I could Yusuke. Maybe you imagined what you felt, because I'm really not that strong."

Maybe he had imagined it. He didn't know now. He sighed and turned around. He had to get to the destination before time ran out. It was late at night right now.

He quickly wrapped his left arm, his only major wound, with his shredded shirt and ran as fast as he could.

An hour later he made it to the destination. "Here!" he said to the new referee that would manage the final fights.

"I'm sorry," stated the woman, "you just missed the time limit.

"What!?"

"I'm sorry."

Yusuke decided to stick around and watch the matches. He wanted to see who won.

As the fights went on Yusuke noted that Hiei wasn't there. Kurama was though.

The fights went on, and Yusuke was hppy to see that Kurama won the fight, but he was still curious as to where Hiei was.

_I really am pretty weak. I couldn't kill him. Damn. _Tanoaki tried to get up but winced in pain. _Everything hurts so bad. Even my heart aches. Maybe I should rest for a while. Yeah, that sounds good. Rest. I can't get his face out of my mind though. I can still hear my lie running over and over, "you remind me of Shinobu Sensui." I was just trying to convince myself of that, but that's not the truth at all. Hiei was right. He knew I wouldn't be able to kill Yusuke. Hiei…_

_I can hear his laughter. That laughter everyone said was evil. That wondrous laugh he laughed every time we went off to kill those SDF Scum. We had a lot of fun back then. Killing SDF left and right. Then I was pregnant. I couldn't' fight along side him anymore, and that hurt me more then anything I had felt before then. They started to build the Kekai barrier and Hiei tried his best to stop them. Then it was up. The Spirit world was getting desperate so they sent their best, and first, SDF member after Hiei: Mayumi Takanashi. At the same time they sent Shinobu after me. By then my Child was born. I fought back, trying as hard I could to stay in the world I had loved so much, but he got me and my son into the Demon world somehow. He then killed my son. I attacked him with all my strength, but he left, and my energy was to high. I co no longer go through the barrier. It was then that my life shattered. I got information from some lower demons about how my love was doing. He was fine. That was a relief. I couldn't believe It when they told me he was working with the new Spirit Detective, but I knew my husband, he was one to stick to honor. He had probably been beaten by the detective and his life spared so he must have felt indebted. that must have been a hard blow to his ego. She smiled to herself at the thought. Then time went by quickly. A low class demon kept me informed on Hiei the best he could, and then I was assign to kill the detective. I agreed and then joined the Trial knowing he'd hear about it. It was the best way to get him. Hiei heard as well, and that was even better for me. Then we talked. Now, I'm here. She tried to stand again, and winced once again. I guess…this is it. This must be my time. I can hear him again. Saying "I told you so." _

Tanokai suddenly felt someone moving her gently and laying her down to wrap her wounds.

_Of course, _she thought, _I would much rather spend the rest f my life with him. Living like we did way back then…before the barrier was up._


End file.
